KABUL: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has said the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control and supervision, in response to recent statements by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
The IRGC said the strategic maritime route is fully monitored by Iranian forces and that the movement of vessels in the area is being closely supervised.
The statements came after CENTCOM said U.S. forces had diverted the routes of 82 commercial vessels during maritime operations and had also stopped and inspected a number of other ships.
Iranian officials have rejected the U.S. claims, accusing Washington of spreading misleading information about the situation in the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to influence global energy markets and oil prices.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important routes for the transportation of oil and natural gas. Any disruption to commercial shipping through the waterway could have significant consequences for global trade and energy markets.
Tensions between Iran and the United States over the status of the strait and the movement of commercial vessels have increased in recent days, with both sides continuing to present conflicting accounts of the level of control and the state of maritime traffic in the waterway.